


Forever

by CO32minus



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bittersweet, Canon Compliant, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Spoilers for chapter 370 and up, for now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:14:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21980743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CO32minus/pseuds/CO32minus
Summary: After five grueling sets, it’s all over. Five grueling sets, several months, two and three years later, something, is over.The game, Kageyama thinks to himself, as he steps back to the line with the rest of his team, hot breath still overpowering the sound of the spectators.The game is over.--------------------------------------------------------------A brief moment after the Black Jackals/Schweiden Adlers game
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 9
Kudos: 122





	Forever

**Author's Note:**

> I debated simply writing a tweet about this, but the spirit moved me and I had to give this moment the proper space to breathe. It's not beta read, and I wrote it in like an hour, but I did, in fact, cry while doing it. So hopefully that counts for something.

The last ball drops to the ground, a familiar stuttering thud after it dribbles away. Then silence. And then a whistle. 

The crowd around them works into hysterics, and somewhere, in hundreds of homes and electronic shop windows, the announcers speak through their mics:

_ The MSBY Black Jackals have won. The Schweiden Adlers forced into a harsh defeat. _

Kageyama’s breath stings his lungs as it reaches deep, deep, deeper into his chest filling him up to his ears, and then, after a moment, slowly, quietly, releases. One last bead of sweat, dribbles down his nose. He stands.

After five grueling sets, it’s all over. Five grueling sets, several months, two and three years later, something, is over.  _ The game _ , Kageyama thinks to himself, as he steps back to the line with the rest of his team, hot breath still overpowering the sound of the spectators. 

_ The game is over _ .

Both teams bow, and then join in the middle. And when Kageyama clasps Hinata’s hand under the net, his brain swirls, mixing with the sweat and the blood still rushing under his skin to catch in his throat. His face feels vacant, and Hinata raises an eyebrow at him

_ Still bright eyed, still happy, still Hinata _

and starts to smile. But they can only be there a moment, so Hinata squeezes his hand, and they both turn away.

Everyone on both sides clears the court, heading back to their respective locker rooms. Kageyama showers, longer than he usually does, but not long enough to get yelled at, head still fuzzy, unclear, loud static. And his skin and body still warm. His hand still warm. As he packs up, none of his teammates confront him. They know it’s not them he wants.

Once the door to the locker room closes behind him, that sluggishness in his body starts to pick up, the static resolving, and Kageyama knows where he has to go.

He’s surrounded by his teammates, but it doesn’t take more than the sound of Kageyama’s unsteady breath to turn Hinata around.

At first he starts to smile again, that beautiful powerful smile, but it’s killed by the look on Kageyama’s face. Mouth pressed into a thin wobbling line, eyebrows furious as ever.

And before Kageyama can do anything about it - he cries.

He doesn’t want to look so serious, but Kageyama knows if he tries to smile it’ll just make it worse. So instead he reaches out and takes Hinata’s hand softly in both of his own, and says

“Thank you.”

It’s an ancient thought, something that he felt long, long ago back in the first days of Karasuno, before Hinata’s shoulders were so broad and his hair so short. Before every ounce of his being exuded confidence. Before Hinata knew that he was the strongest opponent that Kageyama would ever face. 

For a split second Kageyama imagines a timeline in which he never meets Hinata, and the tears in his eyes fall down his cheeks. 

“Thank you,” he says again and for the first time since he’s known Hinata, he doesn’t have to compete with the man. And for the first time in his own life, he says what he feels. “Thank you for showing me how to have fun.”

Hinata’s eyes shine with his own tears. But he continues not to speak (whether out of consideration or surprise), so Kageyama goes ahead once more.

“Thank you for being a part of my life. I hope, no I want -” Kageyama breathes in sudden and jagged. “To be a part of yours, for at least a little while longer.”

And then Hinata lets go of his hands, takes Kageyama by the shoulders instead, making sure to wrap his arms firmly and warm around Kageyama’s back.

“Oh,” Hinata wimpers. “Forever, Kageyama. Forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> If I were to write an epilogue to this they'd definitely get married or something, but I felt it was best to leave it open at the end. No matter how you see it, platonic or romantic, kagehina love each other.
> 
> You can find me talking about haikyuu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/CO32minus)!


End file.
